Trans Writing – Trans Reading. From Victoria Benedictsson to New Danish Literature. In conversation with Mons Bissenbakker

von Nordlitt. Skandinavistische Literaturforschung im Gespräch

Mons Bissenbakker, Copenhagen University, invites nordlitt to a conversation about new Danish literature on trans experiences. We discuss how trans writers navigate existing narratives and seek alternative modes of expression within a system that resists ambivalence – both its own and that of others. We also speculate about the problem of masculinity and find resonances between being on testosterone and menopause. Revisiting a story by Victoria Benedictsson/Ernst Ahlgren, Mons Bissenbakker demonstrates a new trans reading, navigating between resonance and recognition, and offering insights into 19th century sexology and the figure of the invert. Last but not least, he outs nordlitt’s final question as a rather “trans” enquiry.

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) Introducing Mons Bissenbakker
(00:03:00) Literature as a Way of Establishing Conversation
(00:06:16) Transgender Literature in a Danish Context 
(00:14:37) The Relationship to Language, Narrative and Genre
(00:24:41) Gry Stokkendahl Dalgas and At performe transkønnet vrede
(00:31:52) Luka Holmegaard and Havet i munden
(00:37:51) Understanding Pain and Suffering through the Medical System versus SM
(00:49:35) Building Community and its Political Implications
(56:16:00) Victoria Benediction/Ernst Ahlgren through a “Trans-Lens”
(01:04:32) ”Ur mörkret” and Reading for Resonance and Recognition
(01:10:17) The Figure of the Invert 
(01:18:25) Misogynist Feminism
(00:27:42) Naming and Understanding the Author Ernst Ahlgren
(01:34:38) Future Research Projects
(01:37:04) Advice to Student-Self (“a very trans-question”!)

Literature:

Bissenbakker, Mons: “Transpoetik fra ensomhed til flerstemmighed”. In: Standart, Vol. 38 (No. 1), 2014, pp. 85–92.

Ahlgren, Ernst/Bennedictsson, Victoria: ”Ur mörkret”. In: Berättelser och utkast. Z. Hæggströms Förlags-Expedition, Stockholm 1888, pp. 229–243.

Holmegaard, Luka: Havet i munden. København: Gutkind Vorlag 2023.

Stokkendahl, Gry: At performe transkønnet vrede: digt, oversættelse, essay og fanfiction. København: Forlaget Amulet 2022.

Further reading:

Bissenbakker, Mons: Begreb om begær: Queeringer af nyere dansk litteratur. Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag 2005.

Coble, MC & Wolthers, Louise: Things Change Anyway. Aarhus/Malmö: Breadfield Press/Forlaget *[asterisk] 2023.

Eastwood, Alexander: ”How, Then, Might the Transsexual Read?: Notes toward a Trans Literary History”. In: TSQ, Transgender studies quarterly, Vol. 1 (No. 4), 2014, pp. 590–604.

Elbe, Lili: Fra Mand til Kvinde. Lili Elbes Bekendelser, [1931]. 

Holmegaard, Luka: Hund, Stille. København: OVBIDAT 2023.

Holmegaard, Luka: Look. København: Rosinate 2020. 

v. Schnurbein, Stefanie: “Queeres Leben – entqueerter Text? Die (Auto)Biographie von Lili Elbe. Im Gespräch mit Sabine Meyer”. In: Experiment Geisteswissenschaft, 31. August 2023.

v. Schnurbein, Stefanie: “How to Postcritique I. Delaying Judgment. In Conversation With Rita Felski”. In: Experiment Geisteswissenschaft, 16. March 2023.

Stokkendahl Dalgas, Gry: Det er herfra jeg vil begynde at tale, disse ord kan finde vej. Organiseret vold begået imod den almindelige tale. København: OVBIDAT 2019.

Stryker, Susan: “My Words to Victor Frankenstein. Above the Village of Chamounix – Performing Transgender Rage”. In: GLQ, A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, Vol. 1, 1994, pp. 237-254.

Zichau, Alex: Ubehagets soundtrack. København: Autre 2013.

Åsbrink, Elizabeth: Mitt stora vackra hat: en biografi över Victoria Benedictsson. Stockholm: Bokförlaget Polaris 2022.